Senior Director - Talent Programs & Operations

Relay Tx is a clinical-stage biotech preparing for its transition to a commercial company, and we are looking for a Senior Director, Talent Programs & Operations to lead how Relay finds, grows, and understands its talent. This is an opportunity to build the recruiting engine, talent infrastructure, and people programs that will carry Relay through a period of significant growth, while helping Relay stay true to its culture as it scales. Most importantly, you’ll make an impact by helping to bring life-changing medicines to patients who need them the most!

Reporting to the VP, People as a member of the People leadership team, this role leads Relay’s recruiting team and owns the structure for recruiting and talent operations, analytics, and reporting. It also leads Relay’s core people programs, including our pulse check, manager check-ins, and talent review processes. Working closely with both Recruiting and our HR Business Partners, this leader serves as the connective tissue between the two, ensuring knowledge, context, and insights flow in both directions.

This role is ideal for a seasoned talent leader who has built and scaled recruiting and talent programs in a high-growth biotech or life sciences environment, is energized by turning data into action, and moves comfortably between setting strategy and rolling up their sleeves.

In this role, you will:

Recruiting Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop Relay’s recruiting team, setting clear priorities, expectations, and a high bar for quality and candidate experience
• Partner with the People leadership team and business leaders to translate hiring plans into an executable recruiting strategy, including prioritization and sequencing of critical and senior hires
• Scale the recruiting function to support Relay’s growth across research, development, G&A, and newly forming commercial teams
• Oversee search partner and agency relationships, including selection, contracting, and performance management
• Strengthen Relay’s employer brand and candidate experience so that top talent sees Relay as a destination

Talent Operations, Analytics & Reporting

• Set the structure for recruiting and talent operations, including processes, systems, and standards that are consistent, scalable, and easy for managers to use
• Own Relay’s talent analytics and reporting, building dashboards and regular reporting on hiring, pipeline, retention, engagement, and talent health
• Turn data into insight, delivering clear, actionable recommendations to the People leadership team, HRBPs, and senior leaders
• Partner with People Operations and IT to optimize the talent tech stack and ensure data integrity across systems
• Identify opportunities to simplify, automate, and continuously improve how talent work gets done

People Programs

• Lead the design, execution, and continuous improvement of Relay’s core people programs, including our pulse check, manager check-ins, and talent review processes
• Own the end-to-end calendar and operating rhythm for these programs, from communications and manager enablement through data collection, synthesis, and follow-up
• Ensure programs are scalable and work for research, development, and commercial teams alike as the company grows
• Measure program effectiveness and use feedback and data to evolve them over time

Bridging Recruiting & HR Business Partnership

• Partner closely with Relay’s HR Business Partners, acting as a conduit of knowledge and context between Recruiting and the HRBP team
• Bring insights from talent reviews, pulse checks, and manager check-ins into workforce planning and recruiting priorities
• Bring market and candidate insights from recruiting back to HRBPs and leaders to inform talent decisions, org design, and retention efforts
• Build shared processes and communication channels that keep both teams aligned, informed, and moving in the same direction

People Leadership & Culture

• Contribute to Relay’s enterprise people strategy as a member of the People leadership team
• Build a high-performing, engaged team and develop future leaders within the function
• Serve as a culture ambassador, reinforcing Relay’s values and building an inclusive, high-performing environment as the company grows

Core Competencies

Business-Focused

• Understands how talent drives Relay’s scientific, clinical, and commercial goals, and responds as needs change and the organization scales
• Aligns recruiting priorities and people programs with broader business priorities

Strategic Thinker

• Sees the possibilities and thinks “yes, if,” rather than “no, because”
• Systems thinker who connects data, process, and programs into a coherent talent strategy
• Challenges the status quo and constantly strives for improvement

Gets it Done

• Take-charge leader who is resourceful, driven, and motivated to achieve
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, dynamic, rapidly growing biotech environment
• A “builder” who brings structure and rigor to processes without adding unnecessary complexity
• Demonstrates a sense of urgency to overcome obstacles and achieve measurable results

Connector of People

• Communicates clearly, listens, and delivers messages in a “plain language” way
• Builds rapport quickly and establishes trust, respect, and confidence with leaders, managers, and candidates alike
• Naturally bridges teams, sharing context and insight so that others can make better decisions
• Politically astute, humble, mature, and flexible, with a high level of collaboration and influencing skill

Qualifications & Experience

• 12+ years of progressive talent acquisition and/or talent management experience, including significant experience leading and developing recruiting teams
• Experience in a high-growth biotech, pharmaceutical, or life sciences environment strongly preferred; experience supporting a company’s transition to commercial is a plus
• Proven track record building recruiting and talent operations infrastructure, including processes, systems, and reporting, that scales with a growing organization
• Hands-on experience designing and running people programs such as engagement or pulse surveys, performance and check-in processes, and talent reviews and succession planning
• Strong analytical skills, with experience building talent dashboards and metrics and translating data into clear recommendations for senior leaders
• Working knowledge of ATS and HRIS platforms (e.g., Greenhouse) and related talent technology
• Experience partnering closely with HR Business Partners and senior business leaders to connect talent insights to workforce planning
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution in a fast-paced, evolving environment

Estimated Salary Range: [$193,000 - $275,000].

The range provided above is based on what we believe to be a reasonable estimate for this job at the time of posting. Actual base salary will depend on a number of factors, including but not limited to, a candidate’s education, experience, skills and location.

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